Quality assurance checklist for outsourced projects

Executive Summary

You need some level of involvement in an outsourced project to validate that the outsourcer will deliver within your expectations. This checklist will help you monitor the progress of the project to ensure all commitments are met.

Understanding all the responsibilities that accompany an outsourced project can challenge even the best prepared organization. This quality assurance checklist includes questions to ask throughout the project to make sure it stays on track. The list includes items that will enable you to verify:

That the up-front agreements contain the information necessary to subsequently manage the relationship. For example, if you want periodic reporting, you need to make sure it's included in the project definition or contract. If you want to validate that interim deliverables are acceptable to your company, you need to agree on completeness and correctness criteria ahead of time.

That the project is proceeding on track and that you know about any deviations from the project workplan. Progress can be validated at scheduled times or at previously agreed-upon project milestones.

That the project concludes as you expect based on the project definition and contract.